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Montecalvario
Photo © Ambito Chianti
Photo © Ambito Chianti

Discovering the Ancient Etruscans in Chianti

Archaeological Museum of the Sienese Chianti and ancient tombs of Montecalvario and Poggino

Chianti
by  Chianti

If Chianti today is famous all over the world, it is also due to the ancient Etruscans!

They developed the cultivation of vines and olives in the hills between Florence and Siena, helping to shape a unique landscape. Examples of this are the vine seeds dating between the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. preserved in the Archaeological Museum of the Sienese Chianti.

Even today, the Chianti region preserves the treasures left behind by its illustrious ancestors: discovered in tombs and visible in the museums of the area. Visiting these places is a real journey through time and space

Contents
  • 1.
    San Casciano in Val di Pesa: Ghelli Museum and Tomb of the Archer
  • 2.
    Chianti Archaeological Museum, Montecalvario Tumulus and Poggino Necropolis

San Casciano in Val di Pesa: Ghelli Museum and Tomb of the Archer

Tomb of the Archer
Tomb of the Archer - Credit: Ylenia Caioli

Our journey through Chianti in search of the Etruscans starts in San Casciano in Val di Pesa. In the historic centre of the village is the Giuliano Ghelli Museum, with its large section dedicated to archaeology.

Here, artefacts found in the area, covering a chronological span of more than a millennium, are preserved. Carved ivories from the Tumulo di Calzaiolo, small bronzes from Sant'Angelo in Bibbione, and the sandstone stele from Poggio la Croce, with the Etruscan inscription of the name Mamarkes: these are just some of the exhibits on display.

After the visit, drive to La Collina, near Montefiridolfi. It’s here that you can visit the Tomb of the Archer, hidden in a beautiful olive grove.

The small tomb, consisting of a single square chamber and made of huge blocks of Alberese stone and Sandstone, dates back to the mid-7th century B.C. and is housed in the Ghelli Museum. 

The path to reach it starts next to the church of San Colombiano in Collina: follow the signs and after about 10 minutes you will find the tomb.
 

Chianti Archaeological Museum, Montecalvario Tumulus and Poggino Necropolis

Archaeological Museum of Sienese Chianti.
Archaeological Museum of Sienese Chianti.

Leave San Casciano in Val di Pesa and immerse yourself in the green hills of Chianti until you reach the medieval village of Castellina in Chianti.

The ancient Rocca houses the Archaeological Museum of Sienese Chianti. The museum tells the ancient history of Chianti through archaeological materials and artefacts from the municipalities on the Sienese side: Castellina, Gaiole, Radda and Castelnuovo Berardenga.

Many finds come from the Montecalvario Tumulus, such as the remains of the splendid war chariot, dated between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, or the lion's head carved in sandstone. C., or the lion's head carved in sandstone. Follow the museum tour and be fascinated by the ancient everyday objects arranged in the showcases. The entrance ticket also includes a visit to the fortress, a bastion of the Florentine Republic. From the top, you will enjoy a suggestive view of the village and the surrounding hills.

A 10-minute walk from the Rocca, on the other hand, heading towards Florence, you can visit the imposing Tumulus of Montecalvario, dating back to the 7th-6th centuries BC. Entrance to the tomb is free, with the four burial chambers each consisting of a main room and side cells.

From Castellina in Chianti move on to Fonterutoli. Here along the road, which in ancient times connected the towns of Vetulonia and Roselle to the magnificent Spina on the Adriatic, you will find a delightful little wood, inside which is the Etruscan Necropolis of Poggino, dating back to the 6th century BC.

The necropolis consists of five burials, four chamber tombs and one caisson tomb, and can be visited freely.

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